Around Town

Officials Receive Request To Swap Angled and Parallel Parking Sides on One-Way Stretch of Elm Street

By |

Town officials say they received a request from a resident to swap the angled and parallel parking on Elm Street to opposite sides along the busy one-way stretch—a suggestion that, if New Canaan’s traffic authority considered it, could open a larger, longstanding discussion about the direction of traffic flow in the center of the business district. The suggestion was made in the context of safety, according to members of the Traffic Calming Work Group, an administrative team of public works, police and fire officials that met March 20 at the New Canaan Police Department. The resident “suggested moving the angled parking to the other side because when you are looking over your right shoulder as you back out of a spot, you have a better line of sight than your left shoulder,” Police Capt. John DiFederico said. “It’s blocked by the vehicle. It makes sense but that is a dramatic change.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

By |

The Traffic Calming Work Group this week released the following data captured by speed sentries in New Canaan. The following figures represent the 85th percentile of speeds among all motorists—the standard used in determining whether motorists are driving too fast. Dan’s Highway—29.6 mph (eastbound), 28.4 mph (westbound)
Gerdes Road—33.6 mph (eastbound), 31.8 mph (westbound)
Oenoke Ridge Road—41.4 mph (southbound)

***

Talented New Canaan High School graduate Thomas Throop, furniture maker of Grove Street and owner of Black Creek Designs, is exhibiting at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York City this weekend. ***

New Canaan Police made two pot busts on Wednesday. At 3:43 p.m., a 32-year-old Norwalk man was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after he in advertently activated a burglar alarm at New Canaan Library.

News

Traffic Officials Urge Motorists, Joggers To Work Together To Ensure Pedestrian Safety

By |

Traffic officials are urging New Canaan motorists and pedestrians, especially joggers or runners, to work together to ensure everyone’s safety at intersections where motor vehicles often converge with people on foot. After recent repaving along South Avenue between Farm Road and the downtown, crosswalk striping was not immediately re-installed at certain intersections, confusing some about “what cars needed to do,” according to Police Capt. John DiFederico. “If you continue jogging down the sidewalk, not wanting to break stride, you have to make sure you make eye contact with cars and that they see you, too,” DiFederico said Oct. 17 during a meeting of the Traffic Calming Work Group. The administrative team, which includes representatives from police, fire, public works and emergency management, fields requests and complaints related to traffic calming and makes recommendations to New Canaan’s traffic authority, the Police Commission.

Government

Police Vow To Slow Traffic on Nursery Road, a Popular Detour for Merritt Parkway Motorists

By |

Saying a residential street in New Canaan has become a popular detour for Merritt Parkway motorists who zip along it, police said Tuesday that they’re taking steps to slow down the traffic. Speed sentry data on Marvin Ridge Road a “high increase of traffic” traveling westbound from about 7 to 9 a.m. and again going eastbound from about 3 to 4 p.m., according to New Canaan Police Capt. John DiFederico. Many drivers are traveling the 25 mph road at 35 mph, “so we are going to put the speed sentries out there again next week,” DiFederico said during a meeting of the Traffic Calming Work Group. The group, which includes members of the Fire, Police, Emergency Management and Public Works Departments, fields requests for traffic calming and makes recommendations to the appropriate municipal agency. DiFederico said he has called on police patrol shifts to boost enforcement during peak times and added that it’s possible the town will install a ‘Bus Stop Ahead’ sign on the street.

News

Neighbors Voice Concerns about Safety of Intersection at Lukes Wood and Michigan Roads

By |

Town officials said Tuesday that they’ll study the speeds of cars traveling southbound on Lukes Wood Road after hearing concerns from neighborhood residents that limited sight lines make it difficult for motorists at the Michigan Road intersection to see approaching vehicles. Police Capt. John DiFederico said he also will seek not only speeds but measurements on line-of-site distance for motorists waiting at the end of Michigan Road to turn onto Lukes Wood Road. Part of what makes it difficult for Michigan Road motorists is a bend in Lukes Wood Road just before the intersection, DiFederico said at a meeting of the Traffic Calming Work Group. The administrative team includes members of the Police, Fire, Emergency Management and Public Works departments. It fields residents’ requests for traffic calming, making recommendations to the Police Commission.